Binge Watching and Depersonalization Disorder

Is Binge Watching Harmful?

The average time spent binge watching is just over three hours, which means it is really nothing different from watching a long movie. Are people spending more time in front of screens than they used to? It absolutely is—especially since the COVID lockdowns of 2020, when people spent as much as 13 hours per day in front of a screen (Eyesafe). This is perhaps the more alarming statistic because it means that people are not interacting as much with one another or with nature out in the real world. That kind of disconnect can be harmful on psychological, emotional and social levels. As the Cleveland Clinic notes, it can lead to depersonalization and derealization disorder. However, not every binge watcher is going to develop such a disorder. If the binge watching does not interfere with one’s ability to interact socially, perform one’s work, or maintain a normal, healthy, functioning life, the harmful effects may be muted. On the other hand, if binge watching becomes an addiction, it has the potential to disrupt one’s development and one’s growth.

Why has binge watching become a phenomenon? One reason is that more content is now available for streaming on streaming platforms like Netflix, Apple, Hulu, and Amazon. People can stream an entire series all at once. With old media, this was impossible, as people were at the mercy of local programming for the most part. If they wanted to catch a series they would have to tune in at the right time to see an episode. Or they would have to wait until a season was released on DVD. Now, thanks to streaming, people can watch to their heart’s content. They can sit for hours if they like, watching episode after episode. But just because one can does not mean that one should.

What are some of the harmful effects of binge watching? One is that it portends a lack of physical activity: if a person is watching a screen for hours at a time, he is unlikely to be engaging in physical exercise, which is important for a body’s health, particularly for young people (Gavin). People who do not exercise are at risk of becoming obese and developing health problems later on life. People who binge watch are also more likely to snack in between meals, which can add to the problem (Spoon University).

However, not everyone who binge watches is going to be idle or eat unhealthy snacks. Peloton bikes have become very popular over the past year, and some people will exercise on their bike while watching, or they may opt for healthy snacks while streaming. It is not a given that every person who binge watches will also neglect to take time for working out at the gym. Streaming has given people an opportunity to change viewing habits—that is all. Some people like being able to watch multiple episodes in one go—but they also take time for things that matter, like exercise, socialization in the real world, and taking care of their bodies.

Thus, it cannot be said that binge watching is always and in every case going to become a problem for people. There are risks to binge watching, but some people know how to mitigate those risks. People who are mindful about their health, who are know how to prioritize and how to make sure they are getting their work done, are going to be less likely to develop bad habits as a result of binge watching every once in a while. It is the people who do not know how to turn it off, who do not know how to control this new way of viewing so that it does not become a problem who end up harming themselves.

Depersonalization and derealization occur when a person feels detached from himself or disconnected from one’s environment—and binge watching can certainly lead to this. People who do not know how to stop viewing and who continue to consume content all day long are susceptible to these disorders. They allow the fabricated content of media to become real to them, so that they become unreal to themselves and no longer have any sense of the real world around them. Awareness, consciousness, memory—all of it can be adversely affected by too much binge watching. Too much of anything is rarely a good thing, so it is important to keep in mind that moderation is important even in the age of streaming.

People need to be reminded that the real world has a lot to offer: creating a garden, meeting up with friends, making new friends at an event, working on a project, developing new skills or knowledge through reading, or taking up a new job—these are all ways in which a person can profitably spend his time. A person who sits in front of a screen all day is not going to be able to offer as much to himself or to the world because he is limiting his potential by chaining himself to a screen. In order to be a contributing member to society, one has to learn to unplug every once in a while and put himself to good use. Everyone has skills and talents that can be developed or applied in a meaningful way. People who throw away their time binge watching episode after episode for 13 hours a day are not living up to their potential and are risking developing a cognitive, social or emotional disorder.

Binge watching can be a harmless practice. After all, at the average of three hours it is no different from watching a long movie. But if binge watching goes beyond that and takes up a significant portion of one’s day, then it can become a problem. It can cause people to have poor health, and it can lead to mental and social disorders. It can also end up being just a huge waste of time. Could a person spend that time more profitably by learning a skill, working on the house, or reading? Absolutely a person could. For that reason, one thing to say about binge watching is that although it is not the worst thing in the world for people, it is probably not the best either. In the end, it all depends upon how one goes about watching. Are there unhealthy snacks involved? Is the person sitting rather than exercising while watching? Is the person making time for the gym? Is the person managing time well and making sure other important activities are being conducted? These are questions that need to be asked. As with all things, moderation and common sense are needed.